A woman who struggled with fertility for five years has attributed her recent pregnancy to the use of the weight-loss medication Mounjaro, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, despite warnings against its use during conception. The woman, who had her first child in 2020, said she began taking Mounjaro in January after qualifying for the drug due to a body mass index (BMI) classifying her as overweight. After starting the medication, she noticed improvements in her menstrual regularity and pain, which had previously been irregular and heavy.
Her husband concurrently used Ozempic—another GLP-1 receptor agonist—briefly before they conceived their second child. Both medications are primarily prescribed for managing weight and type 2 diabetes but have recently been linked to changes in fertility markers. Early studies indicate that GLP-1 drugs may enhance fertility parameters in both men and women, although little is known about the long-term effects on children conceived while taking these treatments.
The woman stopped taking Mounjaro immediately after discovering she was pregnant in April, after four months on the drug and a total weight loss of approximately two stone. A private scan confirmed she was seven weeks pregnant, and she reported that current prenatal assessments suggest the fetus is developing normally, showing growth in the 50th percentile compared to her first child who was born in the first percentile.
Health professionals caution that Mounjaro and similar GLP-1 agonists carry warnings advising against use during pregnancy due to limited safety data. However, a recent Harvard study cited by her midwife indicates that early pregnancy exposure does not appear to increase the risk of adverse outcomes. Research on potential effects from paternal use of GLP-1 drugs remains sparse, though there is some evidence these medications may raise testosterone levels and improve sperm motility.
The woman’s experience is part of a growing number of anecdotal reports from individuals who have conceived after using GLP-1 medications, often tied to underlying conditions such as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), which can impact menstrual irregularities and fertility. While medical experts emphasize that causality is not established, the case highlights a potential area for further investigation as the use of GLP-1 receptor agonists becomes more widespread.
Although she acknowledges the risks and limited evidence regarding safety during conception and pregnancy, the woman describes her pregnancy as progressing well and says the medication has been instrumental for her after years of infertility struggles.